In Print: March 2025 Open Line articles
February 07 2025
The following articles appeared in the March 2025 print edition of Open Line.
Engineering Services director retires after 28 years
Alison Frazier’s career trajectory was set long before college. As a pre-teen, she narrowed it down to two options that paired with her love for how things are made: architecture and engineering.
The deciding factor?
“I used to read encyclopedias,” Frazier said. “I looked up the listings for architect and engineer, and the salary range for engineering was $30,000. I thought that was a lot of money, and so I decided to go with that.”
Decades later, Frazier retired from the City of Auburn after 30 years as a civil engineer, 28 of which she spent serving Auburn residents.
“For years, I’ve had the pleasure of working with Alison and have seen first-hand her dedication to service,” said Auburn City Manager Megan McGowen Crouch. “Auburn is a better place today because of her decades of hard work and innovative ideas and projects. I wish her all the best in retirement.”
A native of Enterprise, Alabama, Frazier came to Auburn for school and earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering in 1995. She worked for the Alabama Department of Transportation for two years before beginning her career with the City in 1997.
She held several roles over the years including project manager, acting assistant city engineer and storm water engineer. She was promoted to Engineering Division manager in the late ‘90s and became the director of the City’s newly formed Engineering Services Department in 2017. She is a certified floodplain manager and bridge inspector and earned her professional engineer license in 2008.
Throughout her career, Frazier had a hand in a slew of infrastructure improvement projects that improved traffic flow and safety. She played a part in widening Dean Road and Samford Avenue to accommodate increased school traffic. She helped coordinate improvements at East University Drive and Opelika Road as well as South College Street and Shug Jordan Parkway, which both resulted in fewer traffic accidents.
She helped plan and oversee City facility projects, the first of which was the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center that opened in 1999. When thinking back, the project that stood out the most was the new Environmental Services and Public Works Complex that opened last year.
“The thing I liked about that project is that it served the staff that takes care of our City, that keeps it clean, that services our vehicles so we can meet all of these demands and needs of our community in a condition that makes it say we appreciate what you do,” Frazier said.
Another project that rose to the top of her list was the infrastructure build out for Northwest Village, a subdivision designed to provide home ownership opportunities for low- to moderate-income families.
No matter the type of project, they all had the same end goal – serving Auburn residents.
“Serving the public is definitely a calling,” Frazier said. “It’s the hardest work you’ll ever do, but once you work here, it prepares you for anything.”
“I hope my work here has helped improve the quality of life for Auburn residents, visitors and people who aspire to live here. A lot of that has been through infrastructure, and I hope some of that has been through relationship building.”
As she enters retirement, Frazier is looking forward to taking time to rest. But then, “I’m an engineer,” she said, “so I’m going to do some more engineering.”
Trash Amnesty 2025
Ready to clear out the clutter in and around your home? Trash Amnesty 2025 will take place March 10 through April 4, giving you a chance to take care of spring cleaning without paying extra fees. During Trash Amnesty, collection fees are waived for oversized yard debris and other bulky items that exceed five cubic yards (or 6 feet x 6 feet x 4 feet).
Please keep these guidelines in mind when putting out materials for collection:
- We accept yard waste, appliances and bulky items for collection. Please do NOT include household garbage or hazardous waste.
- Place debris at the curb no later than 6 a.m. on your regular collection day.
- Place items at least 3 feet from mailboxes, utility boxes, poles or other fixed objects.
- Contain or bundle items so they don’t fall into the street or down storm drains.
- Limbs and other debris should be no longer than 5 feet.
- Place all items in one pile for pickup.
Because of the large volume of pickup expected during Trash Amnesty 2025, residents may experience a delay in their normal collection schedule. For questions, contact Environmental Services at (334) 501-3080 or webenvirsvc@auburnalabama.org.
Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day March 29
Spring cleaning just got a whole lot easier! Our semiannual Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day is coming up on Saturday, March 29, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
From paints and pesticides to batteries and gasoline, we’ll accept a wide variety of materials that are not collected during your regular trash and garbage pickup. Simply pack up your materials and drop them off at the Environmental Services Complex at 4277 Wire Road. You can also bring electronics for recycling and paper documents for secure, on-site shredding. Each household may bring up to 20 pounds of material for disposal completely free of charge!
Important reminders: This event is limited to Auburn residents. Proof of residency can be shown by bringing a recent water bill. Those participating in the event are asked to register ahead of time.
Find a list of acceptable materials and a link to register at auburnalabama.org/HHW.
Recycling Drop-Off Center temporary relocated to 640 Mary Brooks Drive
The Recycling Drop-Off Center will remain open and operational at 640 Mary Brooks Drive until construction of the Boykin Donahue Campus project is complete. The project is currently expected to finish in fall 2026. Once the construction phase is complete, the Recycling Drop-Off Center will be relocated to North Donahue Drive.
For more information on items accepted at the Recycling Drop-Off Center, please visit auburnalabama.org/garbage-and-recycling.
March featured Library programs
Adults Create! Watercolor Painting
Tuesday, March 4 @ 5:30 p.m. or Saturday, March 8 @ 2 p.m. Audience: Adults ages 18 and older
Watercolor is one of the most soothing crafting activities you can practice. Join us this March as we follow a guide to create an exquisite watercolor greeting card. Email libraryevents@auburnalabama.org to register for this program.
Spring Break Monday Movie Marathon
Monday, March 10 Audience: All ages
A day of book adaptation movie fun to kick off your Spring Break! You can check out the book the movie is based on while you’re here, too!
10 a.m. – “Harold and the Purple Crayon” (PG) Run Time: 1 hour 29 minutes
12 p.m. – “Wild Robot” (PG) Run time: 1 hour 42 minutes
2 p.m. – “The One and Only Ivan” (PG) Run time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Auburn Parks and Recreation March events
Get ready for a fun-filled March with Auburn Parks and Recreation! Join us on Saturday, March 22, for the Active Auburn Tails and Trails 3K and Bark in the Park at Kiesel Park from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Bark in the Park is an exciting, free event that celebrates dog ownership and includes food vendors, a photo booth, a costume contest and more. Bring your furry friend and enjoy a day dedicated to our four-legged companions! The Tails and Trails 3K will start at 9 a.m. Registration is free at auburnal.myrec.com. A T-shirt is available for those who register by March 6 for $15.
On Thursday, March 21, don’t miss the annual Auburn-Opelika Empty Bowls event from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center. This special evening supports the East Alabama Food Bank and features live music, a beautiful, handcrafted bowl of your choice and a delicious soup dinner.
Tickets are $20 each and can be purchased at foodbankofeastalabama.com under the Events tab. Gift baskets will also be available for purchase during the event. Don’t miss this opportunity to support a great cause while enjoying a memorable evening!
Board & commission vacancies
Interested in serving our community? Applications for the Commercial Development Authority will be open on Feb. 5-24, and appointments will be made at the March 4 Auburn City Council meeting. Applications for the Board of Education will be open Feb. 19-March 17. Find applications and more info at auburnalabama.org/boards.